My Pretty Awesome Cookbook

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Vanilla Garlic is my nifty food blog that I tinker at with essays about life and food that I like to think are humorous or thoughtful. I also work as a freelance writer and a cookbook author. Whether I succeed at any of this debatable.

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Sunday, April 27, 2008

It's been a long time since I got a cookbook that really inspired me so much. One that I read cover to cover in one sitting with a desire to actually go and cook every single recipe (though I doubt I would have the time to do so, sadly). I decided to pick up The Sweet Spotby Pichet Ong of P*ONG fame superficially because the cover was pretty *pet pet* and thoughtfully after reading about Antia's experiences.

It is a truly fabulous read. Classic dishes given an Asian twist, and classic Asian flavors made approachable. No recipe is too far out to make me think, "Wow, I can't do this."

Rather, it's, "Wow, I can do this."

One recipe that caught my eye was the Pudding Trio, a creation of raspberry, malted chocolate, and matcha puddings. I decided to break down the recipe to it's bare bones and make my own lemongrass pudding. The milk was infused with lemongrass for about an hour, then the milk was simmered on the stove. Overall, the taste is subtle, as lemongrass so often is. Still, the pudding possessed a distinct soft grassy flavor and a slightly citric tingle on the back corners of my tongue. I couldn't quite ever pin it down, which made me want to eat more. Each bite was a chance to find those little flavor notes that kept appearing and then vanishing. It was sweet and playful.

this looks fantastic. i wanted to let you know that a fellow Sac foodie (me) was published in Rachael Rays new Yum-O cookbook that was released today. check out my blog to read a little more. :)spreading the love and pattin myself a little on the back.

Hey, you're leaving a comment! That's pretty darn cool, so thanks. If you have any questions or have found an error on the site or with a recipe, please e-mail me and I will reply as soon as possible.~Garrett